Keep Your Word

Concerned about the idea of going on a date with a Marine she’d never met, Bettie told her mother she planned to cancel.

Henry and Bettie Holley pose together in 1949.

“I said, ‘I’m not going on this date tonight,’ [and] she said, ‘Young lady, you gave your word to your friend that you would go. You must keep your word to your friend,’ ” Bettie shared.

That lesson of commitment has driven their union ever since.

“We fell in love and eventually got married, and that was all because of the integrity of her mother insisting that she keep the word that she gave,” Henry said. “Our word is so important.”

“When I make a commitment, it’s forever and forever and forever,” he continued. “And when you get through saying forever, start all over again because it never ends.”

Walk Together with God

While in the United States Marine Corp, Henry was part of The Navigators, a ministry that worked closely with Billy Graham to connect with those who made commitments to Christ at Crusades.

Henry was asked to help with counseling and follow-up for the Washington, D.C., Crusade in 1960, which he did. Ten days after retiring from the military in 1966, Henry was on a plane to prepare for the 1967 Billy Graham Crusade in Tokyo.

More than 1.1 million people gather for the final day of the Seoul Crusade.

Now serving as the senior advisor of China ministries at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Henry organized every Billy Graham Crusade in Asia until 1994—all with his wife by his side.

“We’re always together. We pray together, thank God together. It’s such a large part of our marriage,” Bettie said.

“Everything we do, we walk together with God,” Henry added.

The Holleys would sometimes spend several months in another country for BGEA. While Henry planned and worked with local church leaders, Bettie took care of arrangements in the team office like budgeting, reserving hotels and assigning interpreters.

When it came time to plan the 1973 Crusade in Seoul, Korea, the Holleys spent 13 months in the city. Henry served as Crusade director.

“The two of us helped prepare the greatest Crusade that Billy ever had,” Henry said.

More than 3.2 million people attended the event, including 1.1 million on the final day, June 3, 1973.

Keep Short Accounts

With more than six decades of marriage behind them, the Holleys have had their ups and downs, but as Henry noted, “We always found solutions.”

His advice for a happy marriage? Learn these 12 words:

I was wrong.
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
I love you.

“One of the key words is respect; respect for one another and individual opinions that you may have,” he explained. “Coming from the same baseline—and that’s God—you need to respect the God living in each other as you discuss your problems.”

Bettie added that it’s important to “keep short accounts,” not allowing small issues to fester.

“That means you don’t get things (problems) in your mind without getting them out,” she said. “You’re honest, you love each other, you show it and listen.”

After 65 years, three children, four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter, the Holleys have no plans to do anything other than love one another and continue moving forward together.

“Commitment is forever. There are no exceptions,” Henry said. “When I married Bettie, I made three commitments: to provide, to protect and to love her forever.”

58 Comments

It is such an awesome thing to keep one’s word and be committed. But sadly , that is a virtue that is fast disappearing. We all must actively keep our words. it is such a godly virtue. I pray that God will help us to do this.

I used to use this Fraser about marriage, a Christian marriage is like a armored tank prepared for battle, but the devil is like a arm our piercing missile that will pierce that armor and destroy that marriage.
But an unsaved marriage is like a military hummer even thow it look tough it can be easily destroyed by a simple road side bomb or a land mine.

I like what Henry said about respect. I believe that is the second most important thing in a marriage; second only to the couple’s relationship with Christ. Praise the Lord for this couple’s wonderful example for all of us!

What an uplifting story. My husband and I have been married 48 yrs. three sons and 10 grandchildren. My husband is in full time music ministry here. He has recently gone through prostate cancer surgery and there have been complications in the recovery. Please pray for him as he continues to heal and that the hand of our Savior will be upon him.

What an amazing testimony for a God-centered marriage. Just read Just As I Am by Billy Graham. Loved the way he told about the committed people that helped in the Lords ministry all around the world. Thank you both for your part in the ministry that reached so many for the Lord Jesus. God Bless You both.. Marlene